Spoiler alert! Minor spoilers ahead for the January 23 premiere of Zach Shallcross’ season of The Bachelor.
Anyone who watched Zach Shallcross’ season premiere as The Bachelor could see how long of a night that was. The sun was already starting to rise when the Season 27 lead made the decision to eliminate one contestant before the rose ceremony and, by the time 30 women had been reduced to 20, it was full daylight outside of Bachelor Mansion. So just how hard was that first night of filming? Shallcross spoke with CinemaBlend about pulling an all-nighter to meet the cast, in hopes that one of those women would someday be his wife.
The first night of any season of The Bachelor or The Bachelorette seems like it would be an overwhelming experience for all involved. In terms of the new contestants, they didn’t just meet the man they’d be dating but also the people they’d be living with. And Zach Shallcross, who just came off of his own emotional experience as a contestant on The Bachelorette, now has the spotlight turned on him. Immediately, he tried to determine which of the ladies was there for the right reasons and who he could see himself eventually proposing to. Nick Venable of CinemaBlend asked what that experience was like, and if the ego boosts and potential for love helped to keep him invested in each exit, and Shallcross explained:
Oh, I mean, pure adrenaline was there. I mean, like, sure, there was, you know, some caffeine drinks there included, because it's a long, long night, but I mean, it was a culmination of everything of like, I'm really at this mansion again, and these 30 women are coming to meet me, which, I mean, it's the most flattering thing I could have ever imagined in the world. And all of them are beautiful, and they're so sweet, and they're so interesting. And to be honest, while it is the longest night in I think TV history or TV filming, I could have gone longer. Yeah.
Zach Shallcross has made it official, folks! Dating 30 women in one night is just as amazing as one would hope, with Shallcross even saying he could have kept going! Adrenaline obviously played a big part in getting them all through that night-long filming session, and I’d imagine it helped to stay hydrated and caffeinated in between glasses of champagne as well.
Viewers at home only see the two hours of edited-down footage from that full night of filming, at the end of the day. But you also have to take into account what happens even before the limos pull up to the mansion — with the women getting dressed with hair and makeup, preparing for their limo exits, and Zach Shallcross filming his opening segments with host Jesse Palmer. Needless to say, it’s likely so much more exhausting than we even realize.
It’s a good sign that Zach Shallcross shook off the nerves and was invigorated by it all, though, and hopefully he keeps that energy and positive attitude throughout his journey to find love. And constant access to espresso shots won't hurt, either, whenever those extended nights end with left turns like Madison, whose elimination can be relived in the clip below.
New episodes of ABC's The Bachelor air at 8 p.m. ET Mondays and are available for streaming the next day with a Hulu subscription. Be sure to take a look at our 2023 TV schedule to see what other premieres are headed our way soon.
